Kona Brewing Company – Big Wave

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Golden Ale • 4.4 % ABV • Kailua Kona, Hawaii USA

Kona Brewing company are a brewery based in Hawaii and kicked things off back in 1994. A father and son unit by the names of Cameron Healy and Spoon Khalsa had a dream to produce “Fresh, local island brews built with spirit, passion and quality”. With a focus on sustainability and the environment, they ensure that most of the spent grain is offered to cattle ranchers whilst the rest is used in baking their pub’s pizza and bready delights. They support a number of environmental groups and ensure their carbon footprint is low as can be as the business has been developing. They even manage to raise a yearly figure of $100,000 each year for local environmental, educational and cultural organisations which has taken place for over 21 years.

Kona’s beers can be found in all 50 states of USA aswell as 26 countries around the world. One of their first beers, Big Wave (Originally known as Pacific Golden Ale) was introduced in 1995 and just so happens to be the offering that I’ll be trying this evening. Big wave is described as being a golden ale that is light in body which offers tropical hop aroma and flavour. It makes use of caramalt for colour and a special mixture of hops to help with the flavour. Lets give it a blast!

Big Wave pours with a light straw colour offering a fairly small white head. There are a few visible bubbles that run up the glass. The aroma airs more on the side of bready malts with a hint of citrus fruits and even just the finest touch of caramel tucked in the back there. Although really mild in flavour, I was still able to get a touch of pineapple along with sharp fruit flavours which lead into a smooth and forgiving bitterness. Not overpowering at all. The beer itself is really light in body and ultra easy drinking. Just shy of being a sessionable beer and offers a good level of carbonation to add to the crispness factor. Fits in nicely with their idea of making a beer that goes down easy after a day out on the water.